Do you guys know what an abcess looks like?

[Deleted User]

Boston’s bottom lip is red and swollen on the one side. I’m taking her to the vet this afternoon (I finally live closer to my vet now! only an hour, instead of 3) and he’s rabbit savvy, but what do you guys think? The receptionist said from the sound of it, it could be an abcessed tooth. She doesn’t act in pain at all though–unless I touch it. Any ideas? Is this a major thing, as in–gonna cause her lots of pain?? gonna cost me lots of money???

Thanks!!

[Sarita]

It’s hard to know just by what you’ve said. Your best bet is the physical examination from the vet, that’s truly going to be the only way to know.

If it’s an abscessed tooth then alot is going to depend on which tooth it is – location. Just because though she doesn’t act in pain doesn’t mean she’s not or that she’s not uncomfortable.

As for cost, this varies so much from place to place, it’s impossible to know.

Vibes for Boston – let us know what the vet says.

[Deleted User]

Every little thing just freaks me out since the head tilt. I was going to make her an appointment soon anyways, just as a check up to make sure everything is good on that front, so we’ll be able to do both at once. i didn’t sleep at all last night!

[Andi]

What part of the lip?
A tooth abcess would be higher above the teeth in most cases (I’m dealing with a nasty one in my elderly Degu atm) up in the gum lines, and cheeks as it spreads.
Could still be a small abcess from say a puncture or something along the lip. Or even just swollen for another reason. How good can you look at it? is there a scab, or puss?

I thought my degu’s ‘small’ abcess wasn’t a big deal (easily fixed) b/c he was acting perfectly fine eating like a horse and such… he’s now lost a tooth and the side of his face was shaved to show a large open infected hole. Lesson learned, they don’t have to ‘act’ sick for it to be serious. I would def get it checked by a vet quickly.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your responses! Vet says her bottom left front incisor is infected and she’s getting it pulled next Wed. He suggested also pulling the top incisor, as these are teeth the rabbit doesn’t need to chew and if we pull only the bottom one, the top one will just grow and grow and grow because there will be nothing to grind it down. I haven’t decided if I’m going to get both pulled yet. Whats your guys’ experience? The vet said we’ll have to grind down the top one every couple months if we don’t pull it…? She’s on anti-biotics for now and seems to be doing ok. He didn’t give her any pain killers as she didn’t act like she was in pain and didn’t wanna drug her up too much. Thanks guys!

[Sarita]

Poor Boston. I know of many many rabbits who live just fine without their incisors. It’s not really uncommon. Karla’s, rabbit, Jack has no incisors.

[Andi]

aaww, that’s to bad Poor Bunbun.
I’ve never had to dealt with extractions in any of my own pets (knock on wood), my guess from what you’ve mentioned is it may be best to have both removed then going through having to get the one shaved down regularly.
Wishing her a speedy recovery.

[jerseygirl]

Hi! *waves*

I’m sorry to hear sweet Boston is having some tooth troubles. :o( I’m not sure how the infected tooth has caused the swollen lip. Did the vet say? When I read your 1st post – I thought maybe a foriegn body got in her lip like a hay or wood splinter.

Give her some nose rubs for me will you? We miss you guys!

[Deleted User]

The vet didn’t say why the tooth caused any swolleness, but he did say that he’s seen way worse cases so hopefully there won’t be any problems with the extraction! Considering how hard it is to get Boston’s mouth open just to give her meds, I think we’ll have the top tooth pulled as well…I really don’t think we’d be very good at grinding it down and what if I messed it up!!! Eeeeek don’t even want to think about it…I already feel guilty like its my fault the tooth is infected!

We miss you guys too Jersey! I finally graduated college last year and just recently got my first “real job” so I’ve moved and I don’t have internet, cable, anything, to save money! So I come to the library sometimes, but I miss sitting on the forum just reading and helping others with the rare things I could help with!

Besides the tooth, the vet said Boston is very healthy (whew~! I’m always head-tilt paranoid) and a whopping 5 lbs! She’s loving our new duplex—so much room to run and play!

Oh, I was going to ask—the vet didn’t send meds with me but there’s times I think she’s in pain. Have any of you guys given your buns home pain meds? What do you give? I can just tell she’s uncomfortable, but maybe I’m imagining it cuz I’m paranoid!

[MimzMum]

BOSTON!!!! HIYEEEEE! *tackles you with hugs*
Good grief girl, you sure know how to keep folks guessing! ^_^ Been wondering what’s been going on with you.

I just recently had a very good dental vet look at Mimzy’s teeth because he still has runny nose issues. Other than grinding his molars (for the third time this year) and taking lots of xrays though, we didn’t find anything. My first vet had thought that a dark black pocket (on the radiograph) around one of his molars might be an abscess, but it turned out not to be there when the dental vet took his films.
I do know buns can get along without incisors, and yes, if Mimzy would’ve needed his molars pulled, they’d have taken top and bottom for just that reason you described. With the molars though, there’s more occurrence of the other teeth moving to fill the gap on each side of the extraction site. So it has to be serious to pull a molar.

Most likely, if the tooth is causing her discomfort, then the lip nearby may be taking the brunt of the punishment. Do you ever worry your lip with you teeth when you have pain in any area of your body, especially the mouth? I chew on mine all the time, perhaps this is what’s happening. She hasn’t taken any injury to the mouth area lately, has she?
Is this a vet you trust? Is he good with rabbits? If this isn’t just an infection that could clear up with antibiotics, then I would guess it must be done, but I’m curious that no move was made to double check what the lip swelling was?
And yeah, there will probably be a little pain after the extraction, but your vet should give you something for that. Even after a cleaning/grinding I have to give Mimz a little metacam for the next day or so. Bosty won’t feel much like eating for a day or so…do you have critical Care?

Okay…I’m spouting gibberish….I’m just so glad to see you, even if it is a bit of a downer, but hey…WE’VE MISSED YOU!

[KatnipCrzy]

There are no home pain meds that can be used that are safe for rabbits. Homeopathically- willow has been used for pain relief- but I am not sure if bunnies experience that from the dried toys we give them.

[BinkyBunny]

Rucy had one of her bottom incisors removed while both over her top incisors remained. In HER case she used both the top incisor along with her bottom to cut greens and hay and rarely did her top incisor grow too long. I think in all of the years I had her, her bottom incisor had to be shortened twice. However, she did have spur problems her molars as well (so it’s something to keep in mind with any bunny that has tooth problems) and they had to be taken care of a few times a year.)

With that said, I have also seen several bunnies who had all of their incisors taken out do absolutely fine. They just learn to pull in their food with their lips to their molars.

If you feel your bunny is currently in pain call you vet and ask for some pain reliever to help your bunny until surgery (UNLESS, your vet does not feel that is good for you bunny to have that prior to surgery – tooth removal).

Rucy always received pain meds though AFTER surgery, so hopefully your vet will prescribe that.

Keep us updated.

[RabbitPam]

Hi, Boston! *blows kisses from me and Sammykins*

Missed you around here, but glad to read you’re all doing well, with the exception of the tooth of course.

Just putting in my 2 cents, but I am inclined to say get both teeth pulled. I have one of my own teeth pulled in the back, and they’ve been wanting to take out the top one because of the lack of a tooth to match with, so it’s slowly dropping lower. In bunnies, the constant growing can become an issue, and if it doesn’t grow straight after the lower one is gone, you could run into problems with the teeth next to it. So if it isn’t a vital one for eating, I’d be inclined to get it taken out all at once.
Otherwise glad to hear she’s in good health. Metacam – the happy squirt of choice for post-surgery bunnies.

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Boston on 04/13/2010 12:17 PM
The vet didn’t say why the tooth caused any swolleness, but he did say that he’s seen way worse cases so hopefully there won’t be any problems with the extraction! Considering how hard it is to get Boston’s mouth open just to give her meds, I think we’ll have the top tooth pulled as well…I really don’t think we’d be very good at grinding it down and what if I messed it up!!! Eeeeek don’t even want to think about it…I already feel guilty like its my fault the tooth is infected!

I seriously doubt you’d be doing this yourself.  Another reason pulling incisors is recommended is so you won’t be having regular trims done at the vet, the cost and the stress on Boston and her recovery each time. So, if this can’t be treated with antibiotics, removal of the infected tooth and the opposing tooth may be the way to go.  Not cheap but probably will be the better financial option in the long run and less ongoing trouble for her. 

Great to hear you’re in a job in your profession now! All the hard work finally paying off.  

[Deleted User]

Hey guys thought I would update! I took Boston in this morning to get her teeth pulled and the vet called me a couple hours later and told me that after putting her out, and getting a better look, he didn’t think the tooth was causing the swolleness at all. So he took Xrays to rule out the tooth and it turns out she has an infection that is based around her bottom lip. I was sleeping when he called (had just come off an overnight) and was a little groggy, so I forgot to ask why that would happen! haha..but I’m going to ask when I go to pick her up in a little bit!
Last week the infected area had almost tripled in size and then popped! But the vet said that was good to get the infection out of the body. Anybody have any experience with this kind of thing? I’m glad that she doesn’t have to deal with potential teeth problems, but I’m worried that this could out to be something more serious! He’s putting her on a different anti-biotic and he’s still going to skip the pain meds so as not to dope her up too much!

[RabbitPam]

That’s really good news, I think. Let’s hope that the meds take care of it.

{{{{{{{{{{{Healing vibes for our Boston}}}}}}}}}}}

[LittlePuffyTail]

Glad to hear from you and Boston although I wish it was in a more positive thread You’ve been missed!

{{{Vibes for Boston}}}}

[jerseygirl]

Good she gets to keep her teeth. But finding cause of infection around bottom of lip is important. Hope your vet has some answers for you. Did you see the swelling pop? If so, what was the liquid like? Clear and runny? Thick and opaque? Smelly? Really sorry to be so gross!

[MimzMum]

Funny, that does sound like an abscess and you’d think he would’ve pulled the teeth just to be sure…but hey, if they can clear it up AND she gets to keep her pearly whites…so much the better! ^_^
Keep us posted! Sending more healing vibes! ((((((((((((((((Boston))))))))))))))))))

[Deleted User]

This reminds me of Bunnytowne’s Cotton. Boston, can you post a picture of the lip?

[Deleted User]

I did take a picture on my phone, but I’m using a computer library, so I have no way of uploading it, but the swelling is completely gone now, after the vet visit.

Jersey, I didn’t see the sore pop. Boston had been cleaning her face like crazy between all of the medicine giving and I’m guessing her rubbing on it so much finally caused it to pop, but it happened during the night, and it was just gone in the morning. I didn’t see anything pus-looking or discolored in her cage, so I would have to assume it was on the clear side, or she ended up licking it all up when she was face cleaning (EW!) The swelling/sore came back a little bit before I took her in to the vet, but like I said, its gone now!

Mimz-the vet was absolutely convinced it was an abcess as well, which is why he started to pull the tooth. Unfortunately her tooth broke off in the process, which is part of why he decided to take xrays that showed her teeth were perfectly fine. (He explained some other stuff including root channels and other things I didn’t understand, and explained all was well there). So-he decided to leave the broken tooth and let it grow back and I’ll be taking her back in about 3 weeks for a check up and to grind down her top tooth so it doesn’t grow out too far before the broken tooth grows back.

As for the infection and swelling, the vet bascially said there’s no way of knowing what caused it, short of Boston learning how to talk and telling us haha…which by the way would be really really nice! But the vet is guessing that a foreign object, like Jersey mentioned before, had gotten in her lip. Like a piece of hay or a splinter. Its also a possibility that she got bit by a bug or spider, which I’ve noticed quite a few of in my apartment lately. The vet switched her to Baytril, for ten days, and I have to check her lip and her tooth daily. And like most bunnies, Boston’s face/mouth/teeth area is off limits to mere human hands…so this is going to be a blast!! I cleaned her litter box yesterday to monitor her pooping/peeing and she had pooped this morning when I left for work. She hadn’t eaten much, but she had eating a lot of hay and pellets at the vet and was very happy to take a papaya tablet off my hands!

Now, like I said I’m just hoping that the baytril will take care of this. She had been on a different antibiotic for 9 days and it didn’t seem to be helping.

Thanks for all your vibes!!! I love you guys and Boston appreciates the support! Her poor little bunny mouth must hurt, plus I’m making her take medicine, so I’m sure she’s thinking the world just sucks right now! (I know she thinks I suck–she cowers in the corner when she sees me coming!)

LPT-I can’t wait to get the internet/my computer back so I can visit with you guys all of the time and not just during the bad times

[MimzMum]

Interesting…Mimzy recently had a smudge of blood on his pen floor and I had to attribute it, after a thorough exam, to him having something poke him mouth and then he licked the floor…hence the blood there. Not much of it, so I tried my best not to panic. I wonder if a sharp piece of hay lodged somewhere…or maybe he just got too rough tossing his litterbox and caught a sharp edge? At any rate, he is fine today.

If it was a spider bite, please be aware that some spiders can be toxic enough to kill bunnies. (Happened to a member here about a year or more ago.) Of course spraying pesticide is not an option, but if you can find any evidence of spiders, things like citrus peels and sometimes those sonic repellents can do just as good a job in evicting the little buggers.

Continued healing and tooth regrowth vibes to Bosty-Wosty! ((((((((((((((((((((((((((snuggles)))))))))))))))))))))))))))

[kralspace]

I’m just catching up on reading threads, I’m so sorry about Boston’s abscess. My simba had a huge one on the side of his jaw but it was actually leathery and thick skinned. It didn’t pop, but it did crack open and boy did it smell terrible. When they opened it at the vets, one of the techs had to leave the room it was so bad. It was just like a thick shell and she cut it away so the flesh underneath was exposed and could be kept scrubbed and cleaned.

Luckily it didn’t affect his jaw or teeth and he didn’t show any signs of pain, just extreme annoyance at being caught and cleaned every night. And you’re right, it is gross when they lick up the stuff, gross, makes me gag to remember that!

Healing vibes for Boston!

[Deleted User]

Hey everyone! Got a hold of a computer so thought I would let you know that Boston is doing great! The ten day dose of baytril worked wonders and her mouth is all better. And thanks for the heads up Mimzmum–about the spiders. I’ll definately be getting some Sonic Repellant!

[Sarita]

That’s great! Glad she is doing well.

[MimzMum]

That’s great news! Always good to hear a happy ending!

[Author]

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